Climbing harnesses for lineman and lumberjacks comprise "climbers" of fairly standard construction. One such harness is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 672,755; issued: Apr. 23, 1901. These climbers feature an elongated, rigid metal bar, referred to as a leg iron, that extends under the shank of the shoe or boot of the lineman. On the lower end of the leg iron is a spike or spur for insertion into the pole or tree. The upper end of the leg iron attaches to the upper tibia portion of the lineman's leg by means of a strap which fits into a metal loop in the leg iron. The strap wraps around the tibia portion of the leg, and is secured by a buckle.
It has been observed that the strap tends to cause discomfort to the linemen, particularly after a long period of standing in the harness.
The strap, which is usually a thin strip of leather or nylon, tends to twist and bite into the leg. Blood circulation is often impaired, and the leg iron shank has been known to shift and cause injury.
In order to relieve the discomfort caused by the strap, small padded cushions have been designed to shield the contact area between the inner shank portion of the leg and the strap.
One such shielding pad is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 1,727,237; issued: Sept. 3, 1929.
In modern times the padded cushions have been designed to lend greater support to the leg, by featuring an increased wrap-around area.
One such improved wrap-around pad is depicted in the patent to Hobbs; U.S. Pat. No. 4,530,420; issued: July 23, 1985. The pad of the above-identified invention is highly cushioned and extends half-way around the leg, thus providing an increased contact area against chafing and twisting of the strap.
While the aforementioned cushioned pad is most effective for its intended purpose, there exists certain drawbacks to providing complete and sustained comfort, and in providing a padded device which is easily attached and secured to the leg.
The present invention seeks to overcome the drawbacks of these prior devices, while additionally improving the operational ease by which the pad can be secured to the leg. In so providing the added benefits of facilitated securement, the cushioned pad of the present invention has eliminated the need for, and use of, the securing strap.
It was discovered, that most of the problems associated with the attachment of the "climber" to the leg, was a direct result of the securing strap. The strap, if buckled too loosely about the leg, would often twist, and not provide enough support, even with the use of improved wrap-around padding.
On the other hand, if the strap was cinched too tightly about the leg, the blood circulation was often impaired.
It was also observed, that the areas of contact between the straps and the leg not shielded by padding, were often subject to discomfort in cold weather, since the strap did not provide thermal insulation against the environment.